Reinforced
Concrete Sections
under Moment and
Axial Load
A spreadsheet-based program for producing moment-curvature and
moment-axial force diagrams
By Sanaa S. Alaoui and Richard E. Klingner
M oment-curvature plots and moment-axial force
interaction diagrams are essential tools for under-
standing the load-deformation behavior of structural
elements. Moment-curvature plots readily illustrate stiff-
ness, strength, and cross-sectional ductility, and allow the
calculation of deflections after materials become nonlinear.
Moment-axial force diagrams show the behavior of a section
under combined axial load and bending moment, and
whether that behavior is controlled by tension in the
reinforcement or by compression in the concrete.
To make the use of these tools simpler, we created a
user-friendly spreadsheet-based program that can
generate moment-curvature plots and moment-axial
force interaction diagrams for reinforced concrete
sections.1 These plots can include the effects of confine-
ment provided by transverse reinforcement on the
stress-strain relationship of concrete. The Microsoft
Excel® spreadsheet contains a series of macros written
in Visual Basic for Applications (VBA) and has been
named RECONASANCE (REinforced CONcrete Analysis
Spreadsheet, enhANCEd). It allows the user access to
Download the RECONASANCE spreadsheet with the
online version of this article at concreteinternational.com
equations used in calculations and can be downloaded
for free with the electronic version of this article at
www.concreteinternational.com.
BACKGROUND
The strain distribution in the cross section is assumed
to vary linearly from a specified value at the extreme
compression fiber to zero at the selected neutral axis
location a distance c from the extreme compression fiber.
The default steel stress-strain relationship used in the
spreadsheet is shown in Fig. 1. For the concrete, the user
can select between the following three stress-strain
relationships:
 The Hognestad2 model;
 The Park and Kent3 model; and
 The Scott, Park, and Priestley4 model for low strain rates.
These relationships are illustrated for 4000 psi (27.6 MPa)
concrete in Fig. 2. The last two models address confined
as well as unconfined concrete.
At large curvatures, analysis of reinforced concrete cross
sections can be difficult. Because the tensile reinforcement
can be strain hardening while the concrete is on the
descending branch of the stress-strain curve, multiple
solutions can exist, making convergence unreliable or
even unachievable.
Concrete international / october 2007 63
 To avoid this potential difficulty, the program doesn’t
iterate. For every maximum concrete strain and position
of the neutral axis, a corresponding axial force and
moment are calculated. Using the resulting table of
equilibrium configurations, the equilibrium configuration
corresponding to a particular axial load is found by linear
interpolation between the two closest values.
PROGRAM INPUT
The “Input” sheet of the spreadsheet is used to enter
material properties and cross-sectional geometry. All
values must be entered in the units displayed.
Concrete properties
To define the concrete stress-strain relationship, the
user inputs the compressive strength, ultimate strain,
and model for the stress-strain relationship. Two of the
models require information about confinement, so the
user must input the spacing of hoops or spirals as well as
the volumetric shear reinforcement ratio (defined as the
ratio of the volume of shear reinforcement to the total
volume of the core confined by and measured out-to-out
of the shear reinforcement).
Fig. 1: Steel stress-strain relationship for default values used by
program (1 ksi = 6.89 MPa)
Fig. 2: Comparison of concrete stress-strain relationships used by
the program for 4000 psi (27.6 MPa) concrete (1 psi = 6.89 kPa)
64 october 2007 / Concrete international
Some of this input is used for other calculations as
well. For example, the spacing of the spirals or hoops is
used in shear calculations. If the user chooses to use the
third material model, Hognestad’s relationship, the
spacing of transverse reinforcement must still be input if
shear calculations are desired.
Steel properties
To model the stress-strain relationship for the longitudinal
reinforcement, the user must input yield strength, modulus of
elasticity, strain at onset of strain hardening, initial strain
hardening modulus, ultimate strain, and ultimate strength.
For transverse reinforcement, only yield strength is required.
The user may choose to use default values for Grade 60 steel
by simply clicking on a button.
Geometry and reinforcement
Several steps are required to define the geometry of
the initial and confined cross sections. First, under
“Cross-Section Geometry,” the user must enter the
number of layers used to define the initial and confined
cross sections. This number cannot exceed 20 and can be
different for the two sections. The user must then enter
the number of layers of longitudinal reinforcement
(assumed to be equal for both sections), the depth of the
initial section, and the depth of the confined section.
To define the dimensions of the initial and confined
cross sections, the user must define each layer’s
width, thickness, and the distance y from the extreme
compression fiber to the start of the layer. Finally,
layers of reinforcement are described by an area of
steel and a distance y measured from the extreme
compression fiber of the initial cross section.
Shear calculations
The first input value required for shear calculations is the
effective length of the member, used to calculate a moment
on the section corresponding to the shear capacity. The
other inputs include the width of the web or diameter of a
circular section, the ratio of tension reinforcement to
effective area, the cross-sectional area of transverse
reinforcement within the spacing input under “Concrete
Material Properties,” and the effective depth of the cross
section. In the example problem shown in this article, the
effective depth was approximated as 0.8 times the total
depth of the cross section.
Analysis options
Using a series of dropdown menus, the user can choose
whether to analyze the initial section only or the initial and
the confined sections. The user can also choose to generate
a moment-curvature plot only, or a moment-curvature plot
and a moment-axial force interaction diagram. A final
choice allows the calculation of traditional moment-axial
force interaction diagrams or moment- position. If the desired axial force One advantage of the program is
axial force interaction diagrams as is larger than any of the solutions that it allows the user to change the
governed by shear. for the section, then a solution desired axial load and view the
is not available for that axial corresponding moment-curvature
PROGRAM OPERATION force, and the program returns plot without rerunning the analysis.
Analysis of cross section the statement “Not calculated for Once the output data are generated,
For each assumed maximum value given axial load.” the user can easily vary the desired
of concrete strain, many neutral-
axis locations are selected, each
corresponding to a particular strain
gradient. Using the selected strain
gradient and the material’s stress-
strain relationship, stresses in the
concrete and reinforcement are
calculated and converted to forces by
multiplying by the appropriate area.
Axial forces are computed by summing
all of the forces, and moments are
computed by multiplying each force
by its respective distance from the
neutral axis. Each combination of
maximum concrete strain and neutral
axis position corresponds to a unique
combination of axial force and
moment, and represents a known
equilibrium configuration.

Shear capacity
Using ACI 318-05,5 Eq. (11-5) and
(11-7), the section’s shear capacity is
computed at each axial load used for
the moment-axial force interaction
diagram. This capacity is then
converted to the corresponding
moment (assuming fixed-fixed end
conditions and the input effective
length), and is plotted on the moment-
axial force diagram to produce an
interaction diagram controlled by
shear. Plots are produced for total
shear capacity including both the
concrete and transverse reinforcement
contributions and for the concrete
contribution alone.

PROGRAM OUTPUT
Moment-curvature plot
For any desired axial force, a
moment-curvature plot is obtained
by interpolating linearly between
the nearest axial forces above
and below the desired value to
find the corresponding moment,
curvature, and neutral axis CIRCLE READER CARD #24

Concrete international / october 2007 65

 axial load and update the moment-
curvature plot with a click of a button.

Moment-axial force
interaction diagram
A moment-axial force interaction
diagram is obtained using
combinations of moment and
axial force corresponding to a
maximum concrete strain of
0.003 for the initial section and
0.01 for the confined section.
The axial capacities of the sections
Fig. 3: Section of shearwall used for example calculations. The wall is symmetrical are also capped at their previously
about the centerline (1 in. = 25.4 mm) (Note: This section is an example only and does calculated values. Therefore, any
not necessarily meet the requirements of ACI 318-05)
data points with an axial force
larger than the pure compressive
capacity or smaller than the pure
tensile capacity are ignored.
Because shear calculations
are not extensive, they are not
automatically conducted. Rather,
shear capacities are calculated
only as needed based on the
input in the “Shear Calculations”
sheet. Once an analysis has
been run, any changes in input
require that the analysis be
rerun. If only changes in shear
are of concern, however, the
analysis need not be rerun
because shear data are updated
Fig. 4: Input screen with values for example wall shown in Fig. 3
instantaneously.

PROGRAM VALIDATION
Using a variety of beam, column,
and wall sections, the program
was checked against hand
calculations and also against
previous programs6,7 developed
for the same purpose, but using a
different programming language.
Agreement was excellent.1

Example
As an example of the input and
output of the program, the flanged
shearwall shown in Fig. 3 was
analyzed in bending about its strong
axis. The input spreadsheet is shown
in Fig. 4. The concrete has a specified
compressive strength of 4000 psi
Fig. 5: Moment-curvature plot at an axial load of 108 kips (480 kN) produced by the (27.6 MPa), and is modeled using
program for the example wall shown in Fig. 3 (1 kip-in. = 113 N·m) Scott, Park, and Priestley’s curve for

66 october 2007 / Concrete international

low strain rates. The reinforcement
has a specified yield strength of
60 ksi (420 MPa), an initial modulus
of 29,000 ksi (200 GPa), a strain of
0.01 at the start of strain-hardening,
and an ultimate strength of 100 ksi
(690 MPa) at a strain of 0.1.
The moment-curvature response
and moment-axial force interaction
diagram for this wall are shown in
Fig. 5 and 6, respectively. The latter
includes the moment-axial force
interaction curve as governed by
shear assuming an effective height of
10 ft (3 m).

Acknowledgments
The RECONASANCE program was begun
in Spring 2004 by the first author as a class
project in CE 383N (Advanced Reinforced
Concrete Structures) at the University of Fig. 6: Moment-axial load interaction diagram produced by the program for the example
Texas at Austin. In that project, some work wall shown in Fig. 3 (1 kip = 4.45 kN; 1 kip-in. = 113 N·m)
(the three sheets for concrete stress-strain
relationships and the sheet for shear calculations) was initially done
by another student, D. Williams. His contributions are gratefully
acknowledged.

References Sanaa S. Alaoui received a BS from the

1. Alaoui, S.S., “RECONASANCE: REinforced CONcrete Analysis
Spreadsheet enhANCEd,” MS Report, Department of Civil, Architectural,
and Environmental Engineering, The University of Texas at Austin,
Austin, TX, Dec. 2004, 60 pp.
2. Hognestad, E.; Hanson, N.W.; and McHenry, D., “Concrete
Stress Distribution in Ultimate Strength Design,” ACI Journal,
Proceedings V. 52, No. 4, Dec. 1955, pp. 455-479.
3. Kent, D.C., and Park, R., “Flexural Members with Confined
Concrete,” Proceedings, ASCE, V. 97, No. ST7, July 1971,
pp. 1969-1990.
4. Scott, B.D.; Park, R.; and Priestley, M.J.N., “Stress-Strain
Behavior of Concrete Confined by Overlapping Hoops at Low and
High Strain Rates,” ACI Journal, Proceedings V. 79, No. 1, Jan.-Feb.
1982, pp. 13-27.
5. ACI Committee 318, “Building Code Requirements for Structural
Concrete (ACI 318-05) and Commentary (318R-05),” American
Concrete Institute, Farmington Hills, MI, 2005, 430 pp.
6. Mahin, S., “RCCOLA: Reinforced Concrete Column Analysis,”
Earthquake Engineering Research Center, University of California,
Berkeley, CA, 1972, 89 pp.
7. Farahany, M., “User‑Oriented Computer Program for Flexural
Behavior of General Reinforced Concrete Sections,” MS Report,
Department of Civil, Architectural, and Environmental Engineering,
The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, Dec. 1983, 125 pp.
Received and reviewed under Institute publication policies.
University of Texas at San Antonio and an
MS from the University of Texas at Austin.
She is currently a Design Engineer for the
Consulting Engineers Group, a precast
specialty design engineering firm. She is an
active member of the Precast/Prestressed
Concrete Institute (PCI) and is a member of
the PCI Blast Resistance and Structural
Integrity Committee.
Richard E. Klingner, FACI, received his BS,
MS, and PhD from the University of
California at Berkeley. Since 1977, he has
been a faculty member in structural
engineering at the University of Texas at
Austin, where he teaches structural
analysis, dynamics, and the behavior and
design of masonry and reinforced concrete
structures. He a member of the ACI Board of
Direction; the International Publications/Web Site Subcommittee;
the Publications Committee; ACI Committees 349, Concrete
Nuclear Structures; 355, Anchorage to Concrete; 374, Performance-
Based Seismic Design of Concrete Buildings; 523, Cellular
Concrete; and E803, Faculty Network Coordinating Committee. He
is also Chair of Joint ACI-ASCE-TMS Committee 530, Masonry
Standards Joint Committee.

Concrete international / october 2007 67